Corn planter



Febo 26, 1935 G. D. HOUSTON 1,992,427

CORN PLANTER Filed sept. 22, 1932 d :OQO a 90% I': |"l :l P55 1;; 2 la :1:57 i@ l 19 .f5 :AQO d 1,4 16 M27 f 2,2 2^ 2 L `l w I?? M972 for: M 6m Patented Feb.26,1935 s s 1,992,427;

VUNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,992,427` l ooRN ILliiv'r'mel George D. Houston, Rushville, Ill. Application september 22, 1932, seria1N0.694,2so

`7 claims. (o1. 11i-es) This invention relates to corn planters and are spaced apart. Brackets `25 and 26 are` remore particularly to a multiple row planter and spectively mounted on the adjacent ends `of the has for itsprimary object to so operate the dropframes 14 and 2l and pulleys 27 and 28 are ping devices that planting of the seeds in alignmountedon the brackets 25 and 26 and have the '5 ment is assured. i n juxtaposed portions of the peripheries thereof 5 V'I'he invention has particular reference to check slightly spaced apart.` f Y row corn planters and another object of the in- A connecting member 29 is secured to the rear vention istto provide a novelufour row planter ofthe frame 9 and a connecting member 31-is through which the check wire is guided in such secured to the rear of the frame 10. An inter.

l a `manner that a back and forth traverse of the mediate frame 33 is provided and foot portions l0 field maybe accomplished by restaking the wire 39 (Fig. 5) on the connecting members 29 and in the same manner as `it is donefor a two row 31 are attached at the juncture ofthe side memplanter.V i i bers136 and 3'7 with the rear member 38 ofthe `Further objects ofthe inventionV are to provide intermediatevframe 33. A brace 41 extendsbet5. a control which may be used in connection with tween opposite rails of the frame 14 and the l5 com planters of commercial construction; to proforward endl of the side member 36 is pivotally vide for so interconnecting the planter parts that connected thereto as at 42 (Fig. 4). A brace 43 alignment of the parts is assured; and to pro.- extendsbetween therails of the frame, 21 and the vide a control of simple and economical `conforward end of the side member 37 is pivotally struction and eflicient and positive operation. connected thereto as at 44. Thus the interme- 20 Selected `embodiments of the invention are diate frame 33 interconnects the frames 9 and illustrated in the accompanying drawingwherein 1'0. and, `to insure rigidity, a rear bracev45 is pro- Figrlisaplan `view of acorn planter embodying vided which has lthe ends thereof respectively my invention; 1 i connected to the frames 9 and 10 as at 46 and Fig. 2 is aiplan view of my novel frame and 47.' `The intermediate frame 33 is reenforcedby 25 control; j y s s Y s a cross brace 49 which extends between the side Fig. 3 is a detail view taken substantially on members 36 and 37. `Seats are provided above the line 3-3 on Fi`g,2; Y, the frames 9- and 10. A seat supporting mem- Fig. 4 is-adetail l@View taken substantially on ber 30 includes a foot portion 34 which is secured V the line 4-4 on Fig. 2; to the side frame member 36. A `seat supporting` 30 Fig. 5 is a detail view taken substantially on member 32 includes a foot portion 35 which is the line 5 5 on Fig. 2; and connectedto the side frame member 37. In this Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of i a modified way seats may be mounted on the seat supporting form of construction. ,members rearwardly of the adjacent wheels for 5 In the accompanying drawing showing a prethe frames and, if desired, other braces may be 35 ferred form `of construction for my invention, I provided to reenforce the seats. showa horse-drawn planter having tongues? and It is essential that the valve operating rods 8 respectively connected to the forward ends of 17 and 24 be so operated that seeds are simultaframes 9 and 10. The frame 9 is mounted on an neously delivered from the planter boots so that I axle 11 carried by wheels 12 and13. An auxilthe seeds will be planted in alignment. If a 40 iary frame 14 at the forward end of the frame 9 check head is provided at one side of the planter has hoppers 15 and 16 mounted thereon which and an interconnecting linkiis provided Vbetween are spaced apart in the customary amount. the rods 1'7 and 24, the slightest Wear in the in- Planter boots are mounted below the hoppers 15 terconnection will cause one of the rods to operate `and 16 in a manner wellr understood in the art out of timed relation with the other. Therefore, .45 fand have valves therein controlled from the valve I provide a check head on the intermediate frame operating rod 1'7 in the usual way. `The frame 10 33 and then Vby interconnecting both the rods 1'7 is mounted on an axle 18 carried bywheels 19 and`24 to this .check head, simultaneous operaand 20. An auxiliary frame 21 is mounted at the tion of `these rods is assured. Such a check head forward end of the yframe 19 and carries hoppers .is` indicated byi48 in the, `accompanying drawing l50 .22 and 23which likewise have the usual planter and includes a forked lever 49 through which the boots arranged therebelow that include `valves check. wire 5o is directed. The check head 48 incontrolled from the valve operating shaft 24. cludes the customary sets of guide rollers 51 and The auxiliary frames 14 and 21 are aligned 52, past which the check wire 50 is directed, and

"5.5 one with theother and theadjacentends thereof which arearranged on opposite sides ofthe forked lever 49. At spaced intervals on the check wire 50 operating buttons 53 are secured, these buttons being spaced apart correspondingly to the desired spacing of the rows of seeds.

A guide pulley 54 is mounted forwardly of and adjacent the outer end of the frame 14 and a similar guide pulley 55 is mounted forwardly of and adjacent the outer end of the frame 21. When the planter is traveling in one direction across the field, the check Wire `50 is directed about the guide pulley 54 and the pulley 27 past the guide roller 51 through the fork on the lever 49 past the guide rollers 52 and as thel buttons successively engage the fork in the `lever planter continues to move forwardly-the buttons move from engagement with 4thevforked lever 49 which returns to the position shown in Fig. 3. The rearward pivoting of the lever 49 is utilized to causelsimultaneous operation of the Valve operating rods 17 and`24. To this end an evener 56 is'connected to the lever 49. One end of a chain 57 is connected to one end of the evener 56 and the other end of this chain is connected to an arm 17' on the rod 17. One end of a chain 58 is connected to the other end of the evener and the other end of this chain is connected to an arm on the valve operating rod 24, which arm is not shown-but which corresponds tothe arm 17'. The evener 56 assures that uniform movement is transmitted through the chains 57 and 58 to the valve operating rods 17 and 24 and in this way simultaneous operation of the valves controlling the seed dropping is assured. Preferably the check wire 50 is sostaked that when the planter starts to move across the field in the direction opposite that in which it has been traveling, the check wire is led into the machine from the side opposite to that in which it has been directed; that is to say, if the planter has been traveling in one direction and the check wire 50 has been directed around the pulley 54, thecheck wire is directed around the pulleys 55 and 28 when the planter moves in the opposite direction and this, as is well understood in the art, expedites the operation of the planter.

When the planter is used in the planting of corn, the hills of corn are customarily spaced about three and one-half feet apart. Hence, the buttons 53 on the check wire 50 are spaced three and one-half feet apart and the hoppers on the frames are also similarly spaced. Furthermore, the frame 33 is of sufficient Width to so space the frames connected thereto that the hoppers 16 and 22 are spaced about three and one-half feet apart. Of course, if the planter is to be used other than in the planting of corn or if other spacing is desired, the parts may be adjusted to accommodate the different spacing. In Fig. 6 I have shown a slightly modied form of construction and'herein the chains 57 and 58 are directly connected to the lever 49 as indicated at 60.

While I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of my invention it is tobe understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations asfall'within the spirit and scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a planter, a pair of frames, planting lmeans mounted on said framesA in spaced relation,

an 'operating member in each of said frames for linterconnecting said balancing means and said operating members, and guide pulleys mounted on said frames adjacent said intermediate frame and adapted to direct a check wire to said operating means whereby said operating means is actuated upon engagement of the check means on said check wire therewith, said balancing means uniformly distributing the operative movement of said operating means through the interconnecting means to' the operating members to effect simultaneous operation of said operating members. y

3. In a planter, a pair of frames, a guide pulley at the forward outer corner of each of said frames, planting means on said frames, an intermediate frame interconnecting said frames, operating means on said intermediate frame for operating said planting means, and other guide pulleys mounted on said frames adjacent said intermediate frame and about which a check wire may be respectively directed after being passedabout one'or the other of the first named guide vpulleys whereby said check wire may be directed to said operating means to operate the Same.

4. In 'a planter, a pair of frames, an intermediate frame i interconnecting said frames, planting means mounted on said frames in spaced relation, an operating member in each of said frames for operating said planting means, common check Wire. operated operating means, an evener on said common operating means, means connecting said evener to said operating members, a guide pulley at the forward outer corner of each of said frames, and other guide pulleys mounted on said frames adjacent said intermediate frame and about which a checkwiremay be respectively directed to said common operating means after being passed'aboutone or the other of the rst named guide pulleys whereby said check wire may effect operation of said common operating means. Y

5. In a planter, a plurality of planting means mounted in alignment side by side and in spaced relation, independent operating means for said planting means, common means for operating said independent operating means and mounted intermediate two of the planting means, an evener on said common operating means, and means connecting the evener to said independent operating means.

6. In a planter, a pair of frames mounted in alignment side by side, a plurality of planting means mounted on said frames in alignment and uniformly spaced one from the other, independent means on said frames for operating said planting means, operating means including a member mounted between said frames and engageable witha check wire tobe operated by the check wire upon movement of the planter relative to said check wire, fiexible means for connecting said member to said independent means, and'means connecting said flexible means to said Cil member and transmitting movement imparted to said member upon movement of the planter relative to the check Wire to said flexible means and said independent means to effect simultaneous operation of the planting means operated by said independent means.

7. In a planter, a pair of frames mounted in alignment side by side, a plurality of planting means mounted on said frames in alignment and uniformly spaced one from the other, independent means on said frames for operating said planting means, operating means including a member mounted between said frames and engageable with a cheek Wire to be operated by the check wire `upon movement of the planter relative to said check wire, an evener on said member, and means connecting said evener to said independent means whereby movement imparted to said member upon movement of the planter relative to the check Wire is transmitted to said independent means to effect simultaneous operationof the planting means operated by said independent means.

GEORGE D. HOUSTON. 

